A sea lion comes in for a closer look I was SCUBA diving in the bracing waters off of Anacapa in the Channel Islands, receiving a stern lecture via vigorous pantomime. Words aren’t an option when both parties are submerged 30 feet underwater. It was clear to me, despite our lack of words, that my [...]
Sometimes the inertia of getting out of the city is too much to overcome – especially when we’re talking about a long holiday weekend like the Fourth of July. My three main barriers to outdoor enjoyment seem to be logistics, the heat, and the crowds that commute en masse from the Los Angeles area to [...]
Every year, on Memorial Day weekend, a great mob of mules and their packers, riders and trainers converge on the small town of Bishop, California, in the Eastern Sierras for an event called Mule Days. For us, the Mule Days celebration and Memorial Weekend marks the end of our bouldering season – it’s time to [...]
This is part three of my description of the ultimate Sierra road trip, which originated in Los Angeles, visited the giant Sequoias, traversed the breadth of Yosemite National Park, and ended with a tour of the east side of the Sierra Mountains. (See my posts covering Day 1 and Day 2 of the road trip.) Day [...]
First Glimpse In my previous post, I described the itinerary for day 1 of the Great Sierra Circuit. In a nutshell, we grabbed snacks for the road from our local Los Angeles farmer’s market and hiked at the uncrowded Sequoia gem called Nelder Grove. On the second day of our Sierra road trip, we headed [...]
Shadow of the Giants, Nelder Grove. Photo by T. Kornylak Lately, I’ve been obsessed with planning the perfect road trip from Los Angeles. I’m talking about a road trip for every occasion – for when your parents come out to see what living in California is all about; for when your old college roommate decides [...]
A herd of bighorn sheep still roam in China Lake Near the end of our 45 mile drive, on the top of Wild Horse Mesa, I spotted a gray mustang resting in the shade of a large Joshua tree. Our route had taken us to 5,000 feet, through a forest of some of the most [...]
If you have ever wondered about the life of a fire lookout, or contemplated a career as a lighthouse keeper, you should spend a day at the Morton Peak Lookout, a 30-foot working fire tower perched on the bald top of a mountain in the San Bernardino National Forest. The Morton Peak Lookout is one [...]
Feeding a baby squirrel at the California Wildlife Center After looking at more depressing images of the ecological disaster in the gulf, I’ve been feeling like I need to get on the next plane to the southeast coast and start scrubbing away at oiled seabirds or patrolling “burn boxes” to rescue mired sea turtles from [...]
Last weekend I took a trip to the Antelope Valley Poppy Preserve to see the flowers, which are in full bloom. The California poppy has been the state flower for over 100 years. (And no, it’s not the poppy variety used to make opium.) It’s best to visit the preserve on a sunny day and [...]
